Train recorder for railway systems



July 30, 1935. R. F. WELLS TRAIN RECORDER FOR RAILWAY SYSTEMS Filed Jan. 22, 1932 QZ J .NdE

Patented July 30, 1935 TRAIN RECORDER FOR RAILWAY SYSTEMS Robert F. Wells, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to General Railway Signal Company, Rochester,

Application January 22, 1982. Serial No. 588,118

Claims.

This invention relates to recorders, and more particularly to recorders for recording the progress of trains on a railway system.

In certain types of selector systems for indi- 5 eating in a central office the conditionof track occupancy and for indicating conditions of signals, such for instance asindicated in the prior application of N. D. Preston et al., Ser. No. 455,304 filed May 24, 1930, the condition of track occupancy is indicated just a few moments prior to the movement of a signal to the stop position in response to such occupancy, and such indications can be given for one passing siding only, even though the occupancy at several passing sidings' may occur simultaneously. In other words, the type of system just mentioned can only transmit track occupancy for one passing siding at a time.

This type of selector system permits a recorder to be used in which the same pen or marker may be used for indicating the positions of a plurality of trains at a plurality of different points along the trackway, and in accordance with the present invention it is proposed to'construct a recorder in which one pen or marker will indicate the positions of all trains moving in one direction and another pen ormarker, preferably making a distinctive mark, is used for indicating the locations of a plurality of trains moving in the opposite direction. 7

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present invention will in part be obvious from the drawings and will in part be more particularly described hereinafter.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be made to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Fig. 1 shows a front conventional view of a recorder embodying the present invention together with the track and signal indicating relay for controlling the same; and r Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the same recorder.

Referring to the drawing, the rectangle CM comprises suitable time indicating means such as a conventional clock mechanism preferably having a twenty-four hour shaft l0 provided with a knurled threaded 'nut II. for fastening a circular record sheet or card l2. tothis shaft I0, so that. this record disc l2 will rotate one revolution in twenty-four hours. The record disc l2 has circularlines drawn thereon onefo'r each end of the miniatures passing sidings p8, ps p3 ps ps and p8 engraved on a metal strip I3 which holds the record disc in position.

These miniature passing sidings engraved on the metalstrip [3 correspond respectively to passing sidings along the railway track, 'of which the west end of the passing siding PS only has been shown. The dotted line l5 conventionally represents the selector system of the pn'orapplication above mentioned through the medium of which are controlled the track indicating relay TI, the west signal indicating relay WSI and the east signal indicating relay ESI, in accordance with the occupancy of the detector track circuit and the indicating conditions of signals ES and WS at the west end of the passing siding PS.

A pen EP with an associated armature EA for recording movement in an eastward direction is more clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, from which it is apparent that the pen EP is located above the record card l2, whereas thearmature EA is positioned behind the record card, and that the pen EP may be drawn'against the record card [2 by energization of a magnet such as M The magnet M is the one used for re corcling the'condition of traffic at the west end of the passing siding PS and. this record is made on the circular line which alines with the west end of the miniature passing siding 108 (see Fig. 1) directly above which the magnet M is located back of the record'sheet. Other magnets M M M etc. aline with other indicating points on the miniature track diagram such as the west and east ends of the passing sidings PS P S, etc.

The east-bound pen EP having its armature EA fixed on a rotatable shaft 20 containing a hair spring 2| for holding the penEP in its extreme left-hand position against the stop 25,,and can be moved to the right by an amrneter element EE having an actuating coil 22. 'I'hewestbound pen WP is similarly controlled by an associated ammeter element WE, but its operation .is the reverse of the east-bound pen EP i e. a hair springI-H biasesits shaft 30 to an extreme right-hand position against a stop 55 and an actuating coil 32 moves the pen to the left. These shafts 20 and 30 main axial alignment, so. that the pens EP and WP traverse the same are over direction of train travel is distinctively indicated by the color.

Operation H Let us now assume that the east-bound train is just about to accept the signal ES of the passing siding *PS and that this'signal ES is a'ssu n the clear position, under which condition the east signal indicating relay ESI assumes its righthand dotted position, thereby selecting the eastbound resistance ER and the east-bound ammeter element EE. As soon as the train in question deenergizes the detector track relay associated with the signal ES, thereby initiating the selector system to transmit an indication of track occupancy to the central office, the track indicating relay TI is operated to the right to complete the circuit selected by relay ESI.

The transmission of occupancy of this detector track relay will thus result in operation of the track indicating relay TI to its right-hand position, thereby closing the following two circuits:'- (1) beginning at the terminal l3 of a suitable central office battery, contact 40 of the track indicating relay TI assuming its right-hand position, wires 4| and 42, contact 43 of the east signal indicating relay ESI assuming its right-hand dotted position, wire 44, east resistance unit ER,

wire 45 (see Fig. 2) through the winding 22 of the east-bound ammeter element EE to the other terminal C, and 2) beginning at the same terminal B of the central ofiice battery, contact 40 of the track indicating relay TI assuming its dotted position, wires 46 and 41, contact 48'of the relay ESI assuming its dotted position, wires 49 and 50, winding of the magnet M to the terminal C of said battery.

It will be noted that the first traced circuit includes a rather relatively high resistance ER, and this resistance ER is of such value that the ammeter element EE will operate the east-bound pen EP to the right for a short distance only suflicient to bring the armature EA under the magnet M and the second traced circuit will energize the magnet M attracting the armature EA and causing the pen EP to engage the record sheet [2.

The east signal ES at the passing siding PS (see Fig. 1) will of course immediately respond to the occupancy of the detector track circuit, and the fact that this signal ES is moved to the stop position will be transmitted to the central oflice through the same cycle of operation of the selector system. This results in the operation of the east signal indicating relay ESI, back to its normal position, thereby opening both of the two circuits heretofore traced and causing the east-bound signal pen EP to be returned by the hair spring 2| to its normal position against the stop 25. The west-bound pen WP engages a similar stop 55 when in its normal position. Y Attention is directed to the fact that the resistance unit WR included in series with the coil 32 of the west-bound ammeter element WE has its wire 44 connected to a. tap so that the ohmic resistance is very small. This is done because the pen WP must be operated through a much larger arc to. be moved over the magnet M than does the pen or markerEP. Also, it is to be understood that the resistance units ER and WR- are included in the various circuits controlled by the various track and signal indicating relays of all of the various sidings, but that these various circuits include more or less of the ohmic resistance of these resistances ER and WR depending upon the'arc through which the particular pen or marker must be moved to get in alignment with the proper magnet M M etc., as the case may be."

' Referring to the record sheet, attention is directed to the various short lines 55 signifying a westbound train, and indicating the time at which means to, engage said sheet.

the train passes particular points on the railway system, and also to the small rectangles 5'! which similarly indicate the location of an east-bound train and the times at which such east-bound train arrived at the various siding ends along the railway track. It is of course understood that the record sheet has the hours and minutes as well as A. M. and P. M. marked thereon as shown near the outer edge of this record card l2, so that the exact hour and minute at which a train was located at a particular point on the railway track is directionally indicated.

Applicant has thus proposed and disclosed a recorder employing only two pens or markers which may. indicate the positions of a plurality of trains at a plurality of points along a trackway, and in which one of these pens will make a mark distinctive, preferably in color, from that of the mark made by the other pen to signify the direction in which the particular train is moving, it of course being understood that if desired one of these pens may be entirely omitted in which case the direction of trafiic is not indicated by distinctive marks, such as a distinctive color, but is indicated by the relation of the successive marks on the record card. Having thus shown and described only one specific embodiment of the present invention, it

.is desired to be understood that the particular construction shown has not been selected for the purpose of illustrating the exact construction preferably employed in practicing the invention, but has been selected for the purpose of facilitating the disclosure of the invention, its nature and its operating characteristics, and it is to be un- .derstood that various changes, modifications and additions may be made within the scope of the present invention, for instance the record sheet may be a strip instead of a disc which is moved from one roll to another under the recording pens, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention or the idea of means underlying the same except as demanded by the scope of the following claims.

What I claim as new is:-

1. A recorder for recording the progress of a train along ,a trackway divided into track circuited sections each containing a track relay comprising, a record sheet moved in accordance with the lapse of time, marking means associated with said record sheet, and means for automatically operating said marking means across the face of said sheet and transversely to the direction of movement of said sheet in accordance with'the progress of the train from track circuit to track circuit along the trackway as manifested by sequential deenergization of said track relays 2. A recorder for recording the progress of a train along a trackway comprising, a record sheet moved in accordance with, the lapse of time, and

marking means. operated transversely to the movement of said sheet automatically and in a plane paralle1 to the plane of said sheet, to a point corresponding. to the position of a train on the trackway, and other means automatically operated by. such'train' for causing said markin 3. Arecorder for recording the progress of a train along a trackway comprising, a record sheet moved in accordance with the lapsel'of time, marking means operated across the face of said sheet and transversely to the movement ofsaid sheet automatically to a particular point corresponding to the position ofiatrain on the trackway, and means for causing said marking means to engage said record sheet at such particular point only if a train is located at a point on the railroad corresponding to such particular point on said record sheet.

4. In a recording system for recording the progress of trains along a trackway divided into track circuited track sections each including a track relay, the combination with a record sheet moved in accordance with the lapse of time, and a single marking device controlled by a plurality of said track relays and engaging said record sheet at points along a line transverse to the direction of movement of said sheet the point on said line depending on the particular track relay shunted by the train along the trackway at that particular time.

5. In a recording system for recording the progress of trains along a trackway, the combination with a record sheet moved in accordance with the lapse of time, a single marking device controlled by track relays of blocks of said trackway and engaging said record sheet at points along a line transverse to the direction of movement of said sheet the point on said line depending on the position of the train along the trackway at that particular time for one direction of movement of trafiic, and a similar marking device for making a similar record for a train moving in the opposite direction.

6. In a recording system for recording the progress of trains along a trackway, the combination with a record sheet moved in accordance with the lapse of time, a single marking instrument movable into any one of a plurality of positions along a line transverse to the direction of movement of said sheet each position defining a particular track location, a track relay at each location, and means for causing said marking instrument to engage a particular position on said sheet for a limited period of time upon deenergization of the track relay for that location, whereby the same marking instrument may be used to record the progress of a plurality of trains along the trackway at the same time.

'7. In a recording system for recording the progress of trains along a trackway, the combination with a record sheet moved in accordance with the lapse of time, a single marking instrument movable to any one of a plurality of positions along a line transverse to the direction of movement of said sheet each position defining a particular track location, a track relay at each location, means for causing said marking instrument to engage a particular position on said sheet for a limited period of time upon deenergization of the track relay for that location, whereby the same marking instrument may be used to record the progress of a plurality of trains moving in,

one direction along the trackway at the same time, and another marking instrument similarly controlled for recording the progress of a plurality of trains moving in the opposite direction.

8. A recorder for recording the progress of a train along a trackway comprising, a record sheet moved in accordance with the lapse of time, and marking means automatically operated in an arcuate line transversely to the movement of said sheet and in a plane parallel to the plane of said sheet to a point corresponding to the position of a train on the trackway, and other means automatically operated by such train for causing said marking means to engage said sheet.

9. In a recording system for recording the progress of trains along a trackway, thecombi nation with a record sheet moved in accordance with the lapse of time, a single marking device controlled by track relays of blocks of said trackway and engaging said record sheet to place a distinctive record thereon at points along a line transverse to the direction of movement of said sheet the point on said line depending on the position of the train along the trackway at that particular time for one direction of movement of trafiic, and a similar marking device for making a similar record but distinctive therefrom for a train moving in the opposite direction.

10. In a recording system for recording the progress of trains along a trackway, the combination with a record sheet moved in accordance with the lapse of time, a single marking device controlled by track relays of blocks of said trackway and engaging said record sheet to place a distinctive color record thereon at points along a line transverse to the direction of movement of said sheet the point on said line depending on the position of the train along the trackway at that particular time for one direction of movement of traific, and a similar marking device for making a similar record but of difierent color for a train moving in the opposite direction.

ROBERT F. WELLS. 

